Qajaq Rolls
Published August 16, 2011 | 
Time once again to take a break from my own endless chatter and recommend another blog worth checking out. Since I’ve spent a lot of time on traditional stuff recently, now is a good time to send you over to check out Minnesota resident, Christopher Crowhurst’s Qajaq Rolls. I really like what Christopher is doing with his Roll of the Day series. I’ve always thought that one of the best things about the internet is that we can go online and learn just about anything. Of course for this to happen, other people have to go be generous enough to share what they know with little to no financial reward. Continue reading
Posted in Learn To Roll, Learning, Paddling, Traditional Paddling | 
Christopher Crowhurst, dubside, Helen Wilson, Maligaq, rolling | 
1 CommentUP
Published July 20, 2011 | 
All the while the world is turning to noise
Oh the more that it’s surrounding us
The more that it destroys
Turn up the signal
Wipe out the noise – p. gabriel
Talking about rolling and body position can be a challenge on land. Inevitably we find ourselves standing there, reaching far over our heads to practice (or demonstrate) paddle placement on the surface of the water, sweeping the paddle, and recovering over the kayak. It doesn’t work, mind you. In fact, the more you ingrain the reaching over your head movements on land, the more you or your students will be reaching toward the bottom of the lake once they get out in the water. Still, there is just something in our crazy brains that makes us want to always reach UP. Continue reading
Madness & Method
Published July 15, 2011 | 
Everyone teaches rolling in their own personal way. Over the years I’ve learned that as instructors we need to be flexible. While we all may begin with a mental outline that serves us well most of the time, we quickly adjust that outline to fit each individuals needs. Take Helen Wilson for example.. With this student she thought it would help if she dressed up like a big yellow and blue bunny rabbit… Continue reading
Posted in Events & Symposia, Learn To Roll, Paddling, People, Traditional Paddling | Diane Carr, Helen Wi, rolling, Roy Martin | 6 CommentsBeach Toys
Published June 8, 2011 | 
Arthur Robinson closes the glass and replies,
“I dream of ballerinas and I don’t know why?
But I see Cadillacs sailing” – counting crows
The 3rd straight day with heat indexes into the hundreds has passed here in Wisconsin. Now it’s 3am and slipping into the fourth. Man it’s hot!! Yesterday was also the 3rd day in a row that I’ve been out in a kayak. 3 days, 3 different kayaks. This time I took the roller out to Devil’s Lake State Park. While everyone else played on the beach, I went off shore and rolled myself dizzy. The only problem is that the sudden heat wave hasn’t had time to warm up the water. It feels warm enough for a while but after a half hour or so I started to feel a chill sinking deep into my bones. I’d have written it off to old age or thin skin if not for the fact that my 10-year-old began wanting to go home the at same time I did! Continue reading
Just Gotsta Believe
Published May 11, 2011 |
don’t give up now / we’re proud of who you are
don’t give up / you know it’s never been easy
don’t give up / ’cause I believe there’s the a place
there’s a place where we belong
- gabriel
Sometimes its only faith that keeps you going; The belief that if you work hard enough, if you face your fears head on, you’ll always overcome. Eventually. That was last night’s pool session in a nut shell. I spent another evening just trying to resurface as my 10-year-old son spent his night on his knees on a diving board trying to make his body fall in.. head first.
On her website, GreenlandorBust.org, instructor Helen Wilson responds to a question about weight and flexibility this way, “With rolling I have found that a person’s size has very little to do with ability. A person’s flexibility however can play a huge role.”. Then she goes on to talk about various exercises and yoga. All good stuff. That said, I don’t really have a “size” role model when it comes to rolling. I’ve not seen anyone 5’7″ and 220 do a straight jacket roll. Not to say no one has, I’ve just not seen it. At 45 I’m pretty flexible though, so if size doesn’t matter I’ll get there.. It’s a matter of faith. Well, to be honest.. I don’t really care about straight jacket rolls, but there are a few more I’d like to add to the my own personal list. 
Continue reading
Chillsville
Published May 8, 2011 | 
Got no deeds to do / No promises to keep.
I’m dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep.
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me.
Life, I love you / All is groovy.
- Simon & Garfunkel
There are 2 main ways to approach kayak rolling, the high power, hip flick way, or the relaxed, chilled out way. I prefer to chill out. Both ways work, but the chilled out way works even when you’re just zapped. When it comes to learning to roll, we almost always tend to go for the power. It’s partially animal nature, and partly an expression of the anxiety lingering around because of the fear that you might blow it. Learning to chill out is practically its own step in your rolling progression; “Ok, you’re coming up now. Next we’ll move on to the “chill stage”… Continue reading
I woke up this morning to a blood-red dawn, dark around the edges with flashes of white. Before the sun could light up the day, heavy storms squashed the light. As I walked the dunes I came across a deer standing on one of the high mounds silhouetted against the glow. An amazing sight! Continue reading →